The Dark Cards
by Arthia Maxwell
Summary: What happens when an exchange student arrives and strange things start happening? Can Saurka & Co. find all the Dark Cards before it's to late? S+S/E+T


The Dark Cards By: Arthia Maxwell  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura, however, I do own Rya. Use her without my permission and face the voodoo curse..okay okay, just joking.but really..here's the story.S+S/T+E  
  
Darkness engulfed her, surrounding her in complete and utter darkness. The shadows within the darkness shifted. She looked around frantically trying to locate the source of the quiet breathing that filled her ears. Suddenly out of the darkness a figured stepped, clothed in a cloaked in what seemed like the shadows themselves. This figure held a staff in her hand; it was black with silver rings at the bottom and a silver crescent moon upside down with a star settled within it. A black gloved hand reached out for her, but just as the hand reached her, she woke up with an involuntary gasp. Her body was covered in a fine sheet of sweat. She reached up feeling the silent tears that rolled down her face. She couldn't stop herself as she reached blindly for first the light and then the phone. Sakura dialed Syaoran's number.  
  
Syaoran was jerked awake by the shrilled ring of the phone. He reached for it quickly answering in Japanese before he could stop himself.  
  
"Moshi, moshi." He wasn't able to change his answer when he heard her distressed voice coming from the other end.  
  
"Syaoran.sniff." Sakura stopped, she was at a sudden loss for words. She didn't have any idea what she was going to tell him.  
  
"Sakura." His voice was soft and soothing. It had been a while since the last time they had talked. In fact it was only just a few months earlier. Ever since he had been forced to return to Hong Kong, they had stayed in touch. Now that it was his senior year, he wanted it to end as quickly as possible. He hadn't told his mother that he had already been accepted by Tokyo University for the fall. He wanted more then anything to return, mostly to her. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I.I.ano.gomen.I had a bad dream." He could hear more sniffles coming from the other end. Something had upset her. Badly. There were feelings and thoughts running through her mind from the dream that she didn't really understand. "I don't want to be alone any more." She whispered and he almost didn't catch it. He was shocked to say the least.  
  
"Sakura." He paused thinking of the best way to comfort her. "You aren't alone. You have Tomoyo, and I hear that Eriol is coming back. Plus you have your other friends."  
  
"Something dark and dangerous is coming." She sniffled again pulling her knees up to her chest.  
  
He didn't hesitate. Long ago he had promised to protect her no matter what and that's just what he planned to do. "I'm coming. I'll be there soon, I promise." With that he heard her trying to cover her yawn. "Go back to bed, Sakura-chan. You don't want to be late for school tomorrow do you?"  
  
She grumbled something very unlady-like at him then said a sweet good-bye and hung up. Syaoran hung up the phone and sat there in his dark room. How was he going to tell him mother that he was leaving. Slowly he climbed out of bed and turned on the light. There standing inside his closed door was, his mother! He jumped back startled. She just crossed the room a look of indifference on her lovely face.  
  
"When were you planning on telling me you were going back?" She asked simply.  
  
"Gomen, mother, but I have to go back. She isn't the only one who was having bad dreams. I can feel it too. Something's going to happen and I have to be there to protect her." His amber eyes glowed brightly with unparalleled emotion.  
  
"Then go back to her, son." She looked him directly in the eye. "Ever since I first met her I knew that she would need you and you her. Go to her now and protect her." When the hope shined in his eyes she couldn't help but smile. "But listen to your heart when the time comes." She leaned down and embraced her only son. "Pack and I will make the flight arrangements." With that she left him.  
  
Sakura tried to fall back asleep but it wasn't working. She just laid there staring at the ceiling. She had turned off the light hoping she hadn't woken up Kero. She turned her head to look across the half dark room to the drawer he slept in. He was on his side facing away from her. She sighed. He and Yue were her guardians and protectors but she wanted more then just a protector. She looked back up at the ceiling. She wanted love, more specifically Syaoran's. She missed him so much it scared her at times. She knew that Tomoyo, her best friend, could sense this and often did her best to comfort her, but she also recognized when she wanted to be alone as well. She turned over and closed her eyes, but it seemed that the nightmare was burned into the back of her eyelids forcing her to open them again. This was going to be a long night.  
  
The alarm kept going off yet no one answered its call. Kero sleepily flew out of bed and turned it off. He turned to the empty and made bed to wake the usually late girl and found it empty. Startled he looked around and noticed that her school things were gone too. Grinning he thought she must be getting better at this waking up on time thing.then again it could be other reasons too. Like the things she had been keeping from him and Yue. Growling he floated back to his drawer and closed it trying to get a few more minutes of sleep.  
  
Sakura arrived on time for class, which didn't surprise Tomoyo. This would be the third time that week for her to do so, the other times she was later then usual. Eriol watched his friend enter the room and sit at her seat. He could see that her aura was dimmer then usual. He frowned not liking that one bit. However, he hid his concern when she sat down and greeted him and Tomoyo with a cheerful smile, which he returned. As the sat there waited for the teacher he glanced over at Tomoyo. She was the whole reason he had returned, that and to see his friends again. There was also a darker reason for him coming back to Japan, but he ignored it for that moment and focused on the other reason he was there. She had the most beautiful voice and the confidence to use it, but she didn't want to deal with the rejection she might feel if she sang for others. He wanted to help her, maybe get closer to her as well. He loved her voice but in Sakura's last letter she had mentioned how Tomoyo had seemed to have lost her insperation and desire to sing. The Song Card that had always loved and imitated her voice even seemed to feel Tomoyo's lost. Both had been quiet for some time now and that was beginning to worry Sakura. He pulled out of his thoughts when a young woman suddenly entered. Her long ebony hair was pulled back in a braid and her shirt was left hanging open at the top, the scarf gone. She wore boots with black socks that were not regulation knee height. She held her bag over her shoulder and wore something between a scowl and a smirk. The teacher followed her in and looked around at the class.  
  
"Class, this is Reed Rya. She will be your new classmate, so please make her feel welcome." The teacher then pointed her to a seat over by the window next to Sakura, who looked a bit frightened and stunned. She watched the girl take her seat.  
  
Leaning across the way she whispered, "My names Kinomoto Sakura." Rya nodded at her with a faint smile on her lips. Sakura suddenly felt a strong magic aura surrounding Rya before it pasted and she forced herself to grin back. Rya watched Sakura out of the corner of her eye. As soon as class started she watched as Sakura's face fell. Rya doodled while the teacher talked about something to do with English or math, she really wasn't sure. She had been taught by the best of the best and she really didn't feel like relearning. When lunch came around it was like a blessing for all.  
  
Sakura rose from her seat and looked around at her friends, then her eyes fell on Rya. She was sound asleep. Sakura blinked in surprise and reached over tugging on Tomoyo's sleeve. Tomoyo looked over and couldn't help the smile that crossed her face.  
  
"Well, wake her up." Tomoyo whispered trying not to get the teachers attention. Sakura walked to Rya's desk and tapped her shoulder. Nothing. She tried again. Rya stirred and slowly opened her eyes as if unsure of where she was. When she spotted Sakura she sat bolt upright.  
  
"What is it?" She looked around at the nearly empty classroom. She blushed when she realized just what happened and that Eroil, Tomoyo and Sakura were staring at her. "I'm sorry." She gave a goofy grin. "I had to come straight here this morning. Only had enough time to change into this uniform."  
  
"What do you mean come straight here?" Eroil asked raising his eyebrows.  
  
"My flight was belayed in Hong Kong." She stood. "You know I meet the most interesting people that way. I met a young man who was coming here too. He was smart and decided to come tomorrow after he had settled into his apartment." She shrugged and picking up her lunch began to walk out of the room. Sakura's eyes widened.  
  
"Wait, what was his name?" She asked stopping Rya at the door. She turned back and looked Sakura right in the eyes.  
  
"He said his name was Li Syaoran." With that she was gone, leaving behind a shocked group. Rya grinned to herself. "I wonder what she's going to do now."  
  
Sakura looked back at Tomoyo and Eriol. She saw the shock on both their faces.  
  
"Wait, why is he coming back?" Tomoyo asked her brows furrowing in confusion. She then turned to look at Sakura. "Is there something." She stopped short noticing that Sakura was gone. "Where did she go now?"  
  
"I really don't know, one minute she was here and the next gone." He blinked several times then turned to Tomoyo. "I guess it's just me and you for lunch today."  
  
Sakura ran from the school grounds on her way to were Syaoran said he would be staying, his old apartment. She didn't stop until she was in front of his door. She doubled over panting trying to regain her breath before knocking. However, she didn't get a chance to as the door swung open revealing a worried Syaoran.  
  
"Sakura, what's wrong?" He asked. She didn't say anything but jumped into his arms hugging his tightly, making sure she wasn't dreaming. Surprised at first he just stood there, then realized what she was doing and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her inside the apartment and closed the door behind her. "Go sit on the couch, excuse the mess, and I'll get you something to drink." He turned trying to figure out why she was there as he pulled a glass from the box he was unpacking and filled it. Sakura looked up when a glass was presented to her. Smiling faintly she took the glass and sipped at its contents.  
  
"Why are you here? What about school?" He questioned.  
  
"I don't care about school I had to see you." She set the glass down just before she threw her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. Sighing he stroked her back trying to calm her.  
  
"Mother told me to watch out. She can sense a great danger." He sighed. What were they going to do?  
  
Tomoyo and Eriol sat under a tree eating their lunch in peace. Eriol suddenly stopped and turned to stare at her. His voice startled her when he spoke. "Tomoyo, could you please sing for me?" She stared at him her eyes wide. She hadn't sung for anyone in years. She turned and looked down at her lunch, her appetite completely gone. She swallowed hard. She felt his hand reach over and take her's.  
  
"Please." He asked. It was a woman much like her who had inspired Clow Reed to make the song card. He briefly wondered if it could have been her ancestor who had inspired Clow, for it was her the song went to without question and mimicked her voice.  
  
"I'm sorry, I can't." Tears came to her eyes. "I just haven't got the heart to." She felt his arm slid around her shoulders. This would be a bit harder then he thought, but he would work hard for her if not for him. Tomoyo leaned against his willing warmth.  
  
Rya watched from her perch in the tree across the yard. She looked at the chibi white tiger with fluffy wings scarffing down her lunch. She couldn't help but grin at him. He was like a cross between Spiral Sun and Keroberus. He was smart, loved to eat, and had a smart mouth. Without Ciro she would have been completely lonely. He looked up at her sensing her eyes on him. His cheeks were puffed out with the rice balls she had packed.  
  
"What is it?" He muffled around the food. She just smiled then looked out at Tomoyo and Eriol. "Don't worry about them. You have to gain back the cards, the counsel demands it. Besides if I remember right you only have one card." He went back to stuffing his face as Rya pulled out a black and silver card. On the front a broken black wing.  
  
"The souls of the lost, the damned, and the hated. They were interested to me, and I failed." She growled at herself holding the card to her heart.  
  
"Don't be so hard on yourself. You loved them, gave them hope, a reason for being. Just think of them as being lost and scared. They will return to the way they once were. Dangerous. You have to protect the Card Mistress." He said finishing off the last of the food, frowning slightly.  
  
"That will be hard to do when I can't tell them who I am." She closed the lunch box and threw it into her bag.  
  
"But that's the way the counsel wants it." He noted her frown with concern. "I know it's hard but one day well will be free of them. I wasn't your fault that you were put under a spell of sleep." He watched her carefully as she put the card back. "Everything will turn out. Just be patient.I know it's not your strong point, but still try." She glared down at him rather pissed off. "And tomorrow pack more food."  
  
She grinned. "Why don't you just stay home?"  
  
"It's boring. I like listening to what's happening."  
  
"Gossip."  
  
"Am not." "Are too." She lightly popped him on the head to keep him from saying any more.  
  
Eriol suddenly felt a sudden energy jump of a magic aura. He pulled Tomoyo tighter to him and looked around spotting no one. He growled protectively over her. Tomoyo looked up at him in surprise.  
  
"Eriol-kun what's wrong?"  
  
Startled he looked down. "Nothing." He smiled to try and reassure her. She didn't get a chance to answer though as the bell for class rang. Together they went inside followed unnoticed by Rya with a complaining Ciro in her bag.  
  
Across town as Yukito was coming out of his class when he was hit with a familiar aura. He stopped so suddenly that Touya ran into him. He looked out toward Sakura's school. He knew that aura, more specifically Yue knew that aura, although he never met the person with it. Yue's feelings and thoughts overloaded him and he willingly let Yukito see them. This aura had a voice, but no face or form to him. It was this aura alone that had softened his heart until Clow died and they were all separated. He had missed the comforting feeling of the aura, but now the aura was slighted, by loneliness and hurt.  
  
"Hey, Yukito, why'd you stop?" Touya asked slightly irritated. When he didn't get a response from his friend he walked around to face him. "Hello!" Yukito jerked, but not before he felt a brush of power from a descended of Clow Reed, Syaoran. He then grinned at his friend knowing just how much he loved Syaoran.  
  
"Nothing, just felt a familiar aura." Not completely a lie. "It seems that Syaoran-kun has returned." He couldn't help but laugh as his friends face fell.  
  
"I wonder why the brat is back?" Touya growled not remembering the best memories of him.  
  
"Yes, so do I." Yukito's voice darkened slightly as Yue's power surfaced for just a moment.  
  
Elsewhere a shadowed figured stood encased in thick fog, waiting for the sun to set before it set out on its raiding. It was hungry and there was no one there to prevent it.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ AYAY! I know short but I wanted to get this out there and see if I should continue, please R+R! Thank you so much for reading! ::Wonders if this counts as a cliffhanger or not.:: Well see ya for now! 


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